IFRT: Intellectual Freedom Round Table

The Intellectual Freedom Round Table (IFRT) provides a forum for the discussion of activities, programs and problems in intellectual freedom of libraries and librarians; serves as a channel of communications on intellectual freedom matters; promotes a greater opportunity for involvement among the members of the ALA in defense of intellectual freedom; promotes a greater feeling of responsibility in the implementation of ALA policies on intellectual freedom.

Krug Fund Banned Books Week event grant applications are open through April 30

Applicationsare now open for the 2014 Judith F. Krug Memorial FundBanned Books Week event grants,
sponsored by the Freedom to Read Foundation (FTRF). Organizations are
encouraged to apply for grants of $1,000 and/or $2,500 in support of
"Read-Outs” or other activities that celebrateBanned Books Week(Sept. 21–27, 2014).

Applications for the grants will be accepted through April 30, 2014, and the announcements will be made in June.

The Freedom to Read Foundation—the First Amendment legal defense affiliate of the American Library Association—is an official sponsor of Banned Books Week.

This
is the fifth year Krug Fund Banned Books Week event grants will be
given. A total of 28 grants have been given to date to support a wide
variety of engaging, provocative, and fun events celebrating the freedom
to read. Check out photos and videos from last year's events at http://www.ftrf.org/?BBW2013. Photos from all 28 projects at are available on FTRF'sFacebook pageandFlickr stream; more information about all the funded events can be found atwww.ftrf.org/?Krug_BBW.

Organizations
are required to submit an event description, timeline and budget with
their application; they also will agree to provide a written report,
photos and video from their event(s) to FTRF following Banned Books
Week. Only not-for-profit organizations may apply, although they need
not have official 501(c)3 status. Krug Fund grants cannot be used to buy
computer hardware. Detailed grant guidelines are available on theapplication page.

Note: Organizations that received 2013 grants are ineligible to apply for 2014 grants.

For
more information on Banned Books Week, challenges to materials in
libraries and schools and resources for combating censorship, visitwww.ala.org/bbooks.
A compendium of thousands of books that have been banned and challenged
can be found in the 2010 "Banned Books Resource Guide," available
through the ALA Store:www.alastore.ala.org. You also can purchase Banned Books Week posters, buttons, bookmarks, t-shirts, bracelets and tote bags there.

Judith
F. Krug, FTRF’s first executive director, was passionate about Banned
Books Week and defending the freedom to read. After her death, theJudith F. Krug Memorial Fundwas established to guarantee that the message of Banned Books Week would continue to spread and grow around the United States.

Friday, April 4, 2014

It is my pleasure to let you know that this year’s
Gerald Hodges Intellectual Freedom Chapter Relations award will go to
the New Jersey Library Association Intellectual Freedom Committee. This
was the unanimous choice of the ALA IF Coalition
Building committee

This organization was selected for a body of work
over many years that was highlighted by the assistance of Grayson
Barber, Esq. As stated in the application, “With Grayson’s guidance,
NJLA has issued many policy statements, legal memorandums
and legal briefs on some of the most important Intellectual Freedom
topics facing our members. In addition, as a member of the committee,
Grayson has also been “on call” for any library facing an intellectual
freedom challenge. She provided confidential
assistance to libraries facing many legal issues but particularly
providing guidance to libraries receiving challenges associated with
the interpretation of the
New Jersey Confidentiality of Library Records Statutes.”

The committee developed numerous statements which
were adopted by NJLA and provided to its members on subjects including
privacy, National Security Letters, confidentiality, children and
libraries and charging for library services to help
clarify and inform library staff. They also provided many papers and
programs on these subjects.

NJLA Executive Director Pat Tumulty and current
President Eileen Palmer will be at ALA to receive the award.

Tuesday, November 5, 2013

The IFRT Nominating Committee invites nominations for the open positions on the IFRT Executive Committee for the spring 2014
ALA election with terms beginning July 1, 2014. We will be electing the Vice-chair/Chair Elect, Secretary,and two Directors.

Vice-chair/Chair-Elect is a three-year commitment. In the second year of service, the Vice-chair moves into the Chair position, and then serves a third year as the Nominating Committee Chair.

Secretary is a two-year commitment, and is a member of the IFRT Executive Committee.

Directors each serve two-year terms as members of the IFRT Executive Committee.

More information about the responsibilities of IFRT Executive Committee members may be found in our Bylaws or by contacting the Nominating Committee Chair, Julia Warga [julia.warga [at] gmail.com].
To nominate yourself or a colleague, please email the Committee Chair [julia.warga [at] gmail.com]. The committee will accept nominations until January 3, 2014.

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Support is growing for the Amash Amendment, a proposal by Rep. Justin
Amash (R-MI) and Rep. John Conyers (D-MI) that would halt funding for
the National Security Agency’s (NSA) warrantless collection of phone
records for all persons in the United States under Section 215 of the
PATRIOT Act. The legislation would amend the Defense Appropriations
Bill, HR 2397, so that the NSA could only use court orders issued
pursuant to Section 215 to collect phone records on individuals who are
the actual subject of a terrorism or espionage investigation.

Below are the organizations that have issued a statement of support for the Amash amendment:

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

The American
Library Association (ALA)Intellectual Freedom Round Table(IFRT) is seeking nominations for its 2014 Eli M. Oboler
Memorial Award. The biennial award is presented for the best published work in
the area of intellectual freedom and consists of $500 and a citation.
Nominations will be accepted through Dec. 1, 2013.

The award was named
for Eli M. Oboler, the extensively published Idaho State University
librarian known as a “champion of intellectual freedom who demanded the
dismantling of all barriers to freedom of expression.” Works to be
considered for the award may be single articles (including review pieces), a
series of thematically connected articles, books or manuals published on the
local, state or national level in English or English translation. The work must
have been published within the two-year period ending the December prior to the
ALA Annual Conference at which it is granted. The 2014 award is for work
published between 2012 and 2013.

The Intellectual
Freedom Round Table (IFRT) provides a forum for the discussion of activities,
programs and problems in intellectual freedom of libraries and librarians;
serves as a channel of communications on intellectual freedom matters; promotes
a greater opportunity for involvement among the members of the ALA in defense
of intellectual freedom; promotes a greater feeling of responsibility in the
implementation of ALA policies on intellectual freedom.

"How a Book is Saved: Challenges and How to Fight Them"
IFRT's Conference ProgramSaturday, June 29, 2013 — 8:30am to 10:00am
McCormick Place Convention Center—S405

What motivates an individual to challenge materials in a library’s
collection and how should the library respond? Please join us for an anatomy of a challenge.
Emily Knox will explore the
motivation to challenge materials. Kristin Pekoll and Suellen Reimers
will discuss their libraries’ experiences with challenges. And, Nanette Perez will explain what you can do to prepare for a challenge – before it happens. Coffee and
pastries will be served.

IFRT Executive Board Meetings
Everyone is welcome to attend.
IFRT I: Friday, June 28, 2013 — 1:30pm to 2:30pm
IFRT II: Monday, July 1, 2013 — 8:30am to 10:00am
Both meetings will be held at the Palmer House Hilton in the Chicago Room

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Karla Shafer served as director of the Hooper (Nebr.) Public
Library for six and a half years before a controversy
erupted in 2010 over the English classes she taught to immigrants in a
nearby town on her days off. She resigned her position when the work
environment became untenable. Three months later, her unemployment benefits
were canceled, following an appeal from the city.

With money running out and few other options available to
her, Karla turned to the LeRoy C. Merritt Humanitarian Fund for assistance. The
Fund gave Karla $5,000 to help pay her overdue bills and legal expenses. “What
I perceived as harassment and punishment would have truly destroyed me had it
not been for the Merritt Fund,” Shafer said. “It is still hard to describe the
emotional suffering of those months.”

In 2011, Karla moved to Omaha and accepted a part-time
library position. “It is very evident there comes a time for many of us when we
need others – even strangers – to say ‘Here, I’ll help you. That could have
been me!”

Since 1971 The Merritt
Fund is devoted to the support, maintenance, medical care, and welfare of
librarians who have been

·denied
employment rights or discriminated against on the basis of gender, sexual
orientation, race, color, creed, age, disability, or place of national origin;

·denied
employment rights because of defense of intellectual freedom; that is,
threatened with loss of employment or discharged because of their stand for the
cause of intellectual freedom, including promotion of freedom of the press,
freedom of speech, and the freedom of librarians to select items for their
collections from all the world’s written and recorded information.

The Merritt Fund cannot
provide this assistance without the help of supporters like you. Please join us
in supporting our colleagues by making a donation to the Merritt Fund. Visit
the Merritt Fund donation page to make your donation today at www.merittfund.org